Stargazing Adventures
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The 2020 Quadrantids Meteor Shower Party took place January 3rd through 5th, 2020, at our Death Valley Stargazing Camp located just outside the national park boundary in Panamint Valley.
We can’t wait to get you back under the stars! The Eastern Sierra Observatory has reduced the rates of all remaining 2020 stargazing dates, and this unexpected time off will allow for exciting new amenities to be added.
Enjoy amazing views of the Eastern Sierra and Owens Valley before a night of stargazing through a huge 14” telescope, hot tubbin’ under the Milky Way, chillin’ in the stargazer lounge, getting featured in the Milky Way photo booth, and SHIFTPOD accommodations at the Eastern Sierra Observatory — located just east of Bishop.
Gather up your friends for a stargazing party at the Eastern Sierra Observatory! Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion, or just want to find a cool spot to hang out with your people, your group will exclusively enjoy all the amenities the observatory has to offer — the huge 14” Meade telescope, hot tub, stargazer lounge, immaculate views of the Eastern Sierra and Owens Valley, and of course our super cozy SHIFTPOD accommodations.
A Dark Sky Festival is coming to the Eastern Sierra in 2020! The event is happening October 16th through 18th, at the Whitmore Recreation Area in Mammoth Lakes, California, and will feature huge telescopes, astronomy lectures from professional astronomers, nighttime photograph workshops, booths/vendors, camping in SHIFTPODs or your own RV/camper van, food trucks, beer, wine, and more!
When we decided to open the Eastern Sierra Observatory, we wanted to find a shelter that was strong enough for the sometimes harsh environment at our mountainside location. It also had to look cool, and be portable and therefore building permit-free. The SHIFTPOD stood out as a perfect match, and after reaching out to the company, a sponsorship partnership was formed, and it was decided that the first SHIFTPOD we received would be put through a non-biased, thorough desert mountainside endurance test.
This holiday season, give the gift of stargazing! The Eastern Sierra Observatory offers a unique stargazing experience featuring a huge 14” telescope, hot tub, stargazer lounge, and accommodations in a spacey SHIFTPOD.
The Eastern Sierra Observatory has released its 2020 stargazing dates, and the New Year will offer some exciting visitor suggestions such as adults-only nights, Perseids Parties, and a special Valentine’s Day weekend. The huge telescope, hot tub, stargazing lounge, and SHIFTPOD accommodations will of course still be the heart of this stargazing experience.
The Eastern Sierra Observatory is headed down to the Death Valley Stargazing Camp to host the Quadrantids Meteor Shower Party on January 3rd and 4th, 2020. The Quadrantids is a lively shower producing up to 40 meteors per hour, and will be peaking in the early morning hours of January 4th. The first quarter moon will be perfect for viewing just before it sets to allow for dark skies during the peak of the shower.
Made in the fabric of space-time, the original Milky Way Dress is the surest way to the heart of the galaxy.
Spy your eyes on galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae through a huge 14” Meade telescope, relax in the hot tub underneath the Milky Way, kick back with a pair of binoculars in the stargazer lounge, and enjoy overnight accommodations in a spacey SHIFTPOD — the Eastern Sierra Observatory is up and running, and offers a truly unique stargazing experience!
Capturing astrophotography through a telescope - galaxies, star clusters, nebulae - is exhilarating and exciting, and nightscape composites using consecutively shot foregrounds and tracked skies can look amazingly rich in detail. But, as newer cameras produce higher quality images at higher ISOs, shooting stand-alone nighttime photography presents a simplicity that allows one to capture amazing scenes with ease, while also allowing plenty of time enjoy the moment in the flesh.
On February 12, 2019, I was able to capture the first Milky Way of the season. In the Northern Hemisphere, the galactic core (brightest part of the Milky Way) is behind the horizon during nighttime from late-fall to mid-winter. This is why people speak of a Milky Way “season” — mid-February through October when the galactic core is visible.
When you visit the Eastern Sierra Observatory for a night of stargazing, here is what to expect…
After driving out to our favorite hot spring in the Eastern Sierra, I was glad I'd brought my camera.
In 2015, we set out to capture the nighttime sky along the 211 mile John Muir Trail in California’s Sierra Nevada.